Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a just transition territorial plan will be submitted for approval to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24966/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to a just transition in the Midlands region and has dedicated significant funding to supporting workers, companies and communities affected by the closure of the peat-fired power stations and the end of peat harvesting by Bord na Móna.The EU Just Transition Fund is a newly established fund which seeks to address the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories concerned and promoting a balanced socio-economic transition. Ireland must prepare a Territorial Just Transition Plan and accompanying programme, for approval by the European Commission this year, in order to secure access to its allocation of €84.5 million under the Fund. This plan and programme will set out Ireland’s proposed investment priorities as well as targeted sectors and regions.

I have appointed the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) as Managing Authority for the Fund, and my Department and Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly are jointly developing the Plan and Programme. The draft plan provisionally identifies East Galway, North Tipperary, Longford, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, West Kildare and Roscommon as the functional territory to be targeted for Just Transition Fund investment. Public consultation on the draft Territorial Just Transition Plan concluded on 14 February.

The draft Territorial Just Transition plan, final report on the consultation and written submissions received have been published on gov.ie. www.gov.ie/en/consultation/352c3-public-consultation-on-the-eu-just-transition-fund/.  Public consultation outputs are currently being reviewed to further develop and finalise the draft Territorial Plan before it is agreed by Government and submitted, together with the EU Just Transition Fund programme, to the European Commission for approval during the course of 2022.